Rafael Cruz, the father of senator Ted Cruz, was born in Cuba, where his involvement in the revolution landed him in jail. Eventually he fled Cuba for the United States, where he built a successful career and lived the American dream. Concerned with the Socialist policies of the Carter Administration, Rafael joined the Texas state board of the Religious Roundtable, a Judeo-Christian organization that mobilized millions of people of faith to help elect President Ronald Reagan in 1980. Rafael Cruz is an ordained minister and speaks at many churches and pastors conferences across America. He speaks at churches and religious organizations and is a frequent speaker at Tea Party events, Republican Women's Clubs, Lincoln Reagan dinners, Heritage Action events, FreedomWorks events, and others. He has appeared multiple times on regional and national radio programs, as well as on TV with Glenn Beck and David Brody of CBN.